Predators and free ranging

[aswartzalso]

You need to train those dogs and make use of them. I never felt comfortable ranging my birds until I started using the dog.

I use a heeler to protect my flock. She isn't out all the time but the time she is out is plenty to keep even airborne predators far far away. They don't want to tangle with her. Being a livestock breed as soon as she was shown not to chase them, she adopted them as her charges in place of cattle and guards them furiously. She even knows what chickens and ducks belong to us and which do not. If wild ducks come into the yard she will chase them away.

I also use her to herd the birds if I need to bring them in during the day for some reason. Heelers are bred to work cattle on ranches and it runs in their blood to do this sort of thing, so even though they are chickens and ducks, she loves what she does and takes it very seriously.

 

[aswartzalso]

My dog a boxer passed last year from old age. Since then I've had two Fox attacks. Nothing came in my fenced yard with the dog. My free range area is fenced with picket fence and some wire but I think the Fox have found us and can get in. I hate keeping them in their run but when I'm at work that's what I been doing. I wasnt going to get another dog but does seem like I may do it. A Heeler sounds like might be a nice breed for protecting and easily trainable not to kill my chickens. I don't want the bigger livestock dogs most recommend. Hmmmm.

 

[GardenTillers44]

We are in a remote area with large tracts of state forest around us and every predator Southern Ohio has to offer. We tried free ranging at first and soon realized we were just providing take-out or dine-in service to the locals. By far the worst problem was the feral dogs which scare us (and kill more chickens) more than any other wild animal. We finally decided to use the Premier 1 Poultry Mesh to surround the chickens, garden and orchard. It wasn't cheap, but we now have chicken, eggs and produce for us and not as wildlife food. The fence works well for the dogs, foxes, coons, skunks, possums and so far, mink. We have had the fence up almost two years and have not lost a chicken to a predator since, despite my thoughts that a coyote or bobcat could probably jump the 4' if they wanted to. I know deer could jump it, but never have to our knowledge, but just in case, we have a high fence inner perimeter around the garden which we open up for the chickens at the end of the season. I have seen small rabbits and chipmunks jump through the lower strands and go through, so we just got some extra wire to add a couple strands to combat this. The thing we like about the poultry mesh is that we can move it to provide fresh grazing areas for the chickens from time to time and let the old area recover. We have a smaller 100' perimeter around a few apple trees on the other side of the clearing that doubles as our quarantine area/sick bay for the chickens.

This morning at dawn we heard a pack of coyotes yipping close to the house and watched 5 of them trot through the yard past the coop and into the woods. They run off or kill the feral dogs and foxes, and we feel safer around coyotes than feral dogs, but may not be the best trade-off for the chickens, as I know the fence works on the dogs. Our latest addition has been 2 roos to go with the 16 hens. The roos are 6 months old now, get along with us and themselves so far, and have been great sentrys to warn off and herd the girls into the covered run and coop at the first sign of touble. I have no doubt they would defend the girls and buy time for them to get into a safer position.

 

[Mama Runner]

We live in Kentucky and our neighbors dog is a pain. We have Ducks and when we bought our Ducks we bought a pair of Broad breasted Turkeys.
We free range our flock from 5am till dusk. Our Tom Turkey Dinner is the flock protector. He will go after anything. We always keep the laundry room window open as well so we can hear if we are in the house. We trained everyone early on where to go. They normally stay right around the house and if they wander to far The turkeys will herd them back toward the house, screaming the whole way. We also never let them be for more than a half hour or so. I'm normally in and out all day.
We also have many many places they can hide. If a hawk comes they will take cover under the porch in front or under the Apple trees in back.

If no one is home they know they have to go back to bed in their coop.
I would try it even if you only do it when you are outside.
I am a big advocate for free range. I always try and put myself in my animals shoes and I for one would not like to be in jail or locked up all the time.

 

[centrarchid]

Will this keep out fox?

Most of the time the fencing will keep the fox out. Keeping fence hot and taught is important.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

We've got lots of trees, wild shrubbery, etc. for the chickens to hide, but when a large bird swoops down from a tree there isn't much notice. I'm just glad she was able to fly/jump towards a big lilac & rose of Sharon's and get away from the predator bird.

For now they will have to stay cooped and in the run. Unfortunately, the close quarters might cause some issues with 3 cockerels.

 

[GardenTillers44]

centrarchid: "Most of the time the fencing will keep the fox out. Keeping fence hot and taught is important."

x2
And also keeping grass & weeds, leaves and deep snow clear of the fence to maintain max voltage. We mix a gallon of apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup of salt and a squirt of liquid dish soap and spray the fencerow after mowing tight to the ground to keep down growth for a while. We have extra plastic stakes to take any sag out of the fence. We use a voltmeter to make sure we are running 8,000v. It seems we need at least 4000-6000 volts to get the attention of the critters intent on a chicken dinner.

 

[heartfire9]

We free ranged ours for a good six months before we lost half our flock to a large pack of coyotoes. It was devastating so we got an electric fence. However; getting chickens to go into the fenced area was worse than trying to herd cats. So now I am building a tunnel from the side of the coop out to fenced area. We have a very large coop for our 11 now, so they have been mostly inside except for when I can be out with them in the evening before dark. They have done ok being inside, but not the best for them or the eggs having only 30 minutes or so outside a day. So hoping to finish tunnel, pop door arrangement in the next few days.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

However; getting chickens to go into the fenced area was worse than trying to herd cats.

Sorry you lost a lot to the coyotes -- that really sucks. I laughed at your comment about herding the chickens as I did that this afternoon and they were going in every direction. Normally they would take themselves home at the end of the day, but now are banished to the house & run. I brought them out for just a little while -- to dust bathe in their favorite stump. Had a heck of a time getting them back. I was paranoid the whole time they were out -- waiting for something to swoop down.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

My ex lost most of his flock (8 out of 10 hens) to his neighbor's dog. In the state of Ct, if an animal is threatening your livestock you have a right to defend your livestock... He was nice about it; ended up walking the dog home, feather's still in its mouth, and telling the lady that he'd lost 8 birds to the dog and if it showed up once more he was going to shoot it. The lady argued that it wasn't her dog, until her kid ran up and face planted on the dog who started licking the kid.... After that, the dog never showed up again.

I'd be most worried about that dog, as it apparently doesn't have any respect for your dogs. I'd also be concerned about rabies, if the dog is lose constantly. Animal control would be involved, especially if it'd come after me and mine. I'd also have checked the laws in your area and if legal, let them know you're going to shoot it if it shows up again. You don't even have to own a gun, tell them you do and that may be enough to take care of the problem. Otherwise, animal control.

Otherwise, I only free range mine about an hour before they would take themselves to bed. We have all manner of predators here, I even woke up to Great Horned owls outside my window once. And my dog views chickens as running squeaky toys... so I only let them out when they can be supervised.